Orphan of Illusions
by Auroris
Summary: DISCONTINUED since it's an obvious MarySue story. A powerful mutant collides with the Xmen and the Brotherhood of Mutants. Then strange omens, dreams and forces guide her to track down a murderer who's been wanted for a very long time. Then she comes to f
1. Chapter 1: New Things

I do NOT own X-Men Evolution. The people at Warner Bros. and DC Comics does. I only own Iris and the villain that's coming up. And if this story seems to have copied any of your fanfic ideas, then I apologize profusely, but don't sue! I swear that all of my ideas are from my own little head. Now on with the fanfic!  
  
"talking" = talking in a normal voice //thinking// = character thinking ~telepathy~ = talking telepathically  
  
I dedicate this story to a friend called Em. Thanks for your support!  
  
Chapter 1: New Things  
  
BOOM  
  
Iris immediately sat up in bed, senses tuned in to her surroundings.  
  
BOOM  
  
Looking out the window, Iris saw lightning crackling in it's view. She mentally chuckled nervously to herself, that at age 15, she was still scared of thunder. Yet she knew that it wasn't actually the thunder that had startled her.  
  
It was her dream.  
  
She had dreamt that she was a dark room, with the smell of blood largely pervading her nose. As her eyes grew used to the dark, Iris could make out a dim lightbulb ahead. She felt herself moving forward slowly, in shuffling steps against her will. She panicked, her heart beating quicker and quicker as she grew more confused. She was sort of calmed down by the fact that she knew that this was just dream, yet it seemed too real to be one!  
  
As she neared the lightbulb, she could make out a table with gleaming sharp instruments on it. She recognized them to be medical instruments, ones used in hospitals for surgery.  
  
The smell of blood became stronger, giving her the urge the sneeze or vomit. Yet she still moved forward, as if pushed onwards by an unseen force. When she reached the table, she then saw the reason for the bloody odor.  
  
Naked human corpses were piled onto the table. They were haphazardly placed as if they had been thrown on quickly. Some of their eyes were still open, staring sightlessly at Iris. Yet what was most sickening were the wounds the corpses had. Deep slash-like marks were penetrated in the skin, allowing blood or guts to flow out and drip.  
  
That was when Iris woke up.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Iris, had stayed up all night thinking about her dream, or more like shutting it out of her mind. She managed to go to sleep after dawn, only to be awaken 40 minutes later by a pounding at the door.  
  
"Get UP ya lil' wench!" a deep man's voice slurred outside. Iris moaned. She wished for the twentieth time that she hadn't been forced to live with foster parents. Yet what could she do? It was the government that had forced her, unwittingly onto loathsome, cruel-hearted people. This was the ninth time that she had been adopted. Her previous foster parents had all dumped her back at the orphanage after two months or so, complaining of her 'weirdness'. She smiled at herself at the thought of her mu....  
  
"HEY! DINCHA JUS' HEAR ME!" the same, deep male voice hollered, interrupting Iris's thoughts.  
  
"I'm coming! No need to get all worked up now!" Iris hollered back. At lightning speed (this is an expression, it doesn't mean that Iris can move at lightning speed like Quicksilver) she jumped out of bed and got dressed. She tore out of her door, ducking her foster father's hand as it came out to slap her.  
  
"Ah expec' breakfast in ten minutes!" he growled in his southern accent before stumbling back to his bedroom and slamming the door.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," muttered Iris under her breath as she tucked her white v-neck T-shirt into her blue jeans. She hopped downstairs into the kitchen, then took a peek into the fridge. A half-empty carton of milk, some rotten eggs, a limp head of cabbage and a few unripe apples were all that occupied the fridge. Iris sighed, exasperated at the fact that her foster parents expected her to cook with hardly any food to cook with. Her unnatural violet eyes then changed to a bright mischievous fuchsia. Raising her hands at waist-level, mist spread from her fingers onto the kitchen counter. A small fog swirled on the counter then evaporated. Filling the empty space was now a complete breakfast meal; pancakes, eggs, sausages, cereal, you name it. Iris sniffed the air, satisfied that a delicious aroma drifted in the air.  
  
//I sure do hope this illusion lasts long.// she thought with humor.  
  
Instead of waiting for her foster parents to drive her to her new high school, she decided to walk and find it herself. Rushing upstairs she grabbed her backpack, coat and a map, then treaded softly to the front door and out into the city of Bayville.  
  
* * * * * "Incoming!" shouted out Evan a.k.a. Spyke as he sailed over the stairs on his skateboard. He landed on Kitty a.k.a. Shadowcat, who managed just in time to phase through him. Caught by surprise, Evan lost his balance and landed clumsily on his face in front of his aunt Ororo's feet. Looking up from her tapping foot, Evan smiled sheepishly at her.  
  
"Child, what have I said about skating indoors?" said Ororo a.k.a. Storm, looking disgruntled yet slightly amused at Evan's antics.  
  
"I know, I know," muttered Evan picking himself, "skating indoors is not allowed."  
  
"And do please remember it," Ororo sternly said before striding off.  
  
"Hee hee," giggled Kitty, "That was like, totally unexpected. Evan, the champion skater just stumbled in his flying stunt."  
  
"Hey, don't rub it in," Evan said darkly, giving a good glare at Kitty before stalking off. Kitty walked into the dining room still grinning on the incident. Kurt, Jean, Scott, Logan, Rogue and Ororo were already there eating.  
  
"You've got two minutes to eat Kitty," said Scott a.k.a. Cyclops with his mouth full.  
  
"God, like what's the rush," Kitty asked helping herself to some toast.  
  
Rogue sniggered, "School startin' in ten minutes sugah."  
  
Kitty's head snapped up, "Eeek! I've got to totally rush!" she screeched before eating at top speed.  
  
Logan a.k.a. Wolverine shook his head, //Teenagers// he thought.  
  
~Is everyone in the dining room?~ Xavier's voice telepathically emitted into everyone's head.  
  
The X-men reacted to this different ways. Kitty, who was sitting next to Kurt, screamed and leapt into arms, grabbing hold of his neck. Jean fell backwards in her chair, seizing her head. Scott jumped up in surprise making his shades fall off and laser beams shoot out burning the tablecloth. Logan stood up quickly too, unsheathing his claws yet because his hands were underneath the table, his claws pierced through the wood. Only Ororo sat through this serenely, calmly sipping her tea.  
  
~I apologize for startling you all.~ Xavier thought sincerely.  
  
"No problem Charles," Logan growled, resheathing his claws. Everyone returned to their normal spots, with Kitty's and Kurt's face blushing madly.  
  
~I have detected a new mutant in our area.~  
  
"A new mutant?" Kurt a.k.a. Nightcrawler said eagerly.  
  
"And jus' when Ah thought our merry lil' band was complete," Rogue groaned.  
  
~I would like for all of you to keep a lookout for him or her.~ Xavier continued ignoring Rogue's comment. ~Especially you children since they always seem to show up at your school.~  
  
"Will do Professor," replied Jean. She looked at her watch then yelped, "Hey we better start going or we're gonna be late!" Everyone rushed out of the dining room, leaving behind the two adults.  
  
"It's only eight in the morning yet we've already have a burned tablecloth and a table broken," Ororo said loudly to nobody in particular. "When does it ever end?"  
  
"That's life in the Xavier Institute," replied Logan gruffly.  
  
* * * * * * Iris went straight to the office when she reached Bayville high school. There, she received her timetable, her go card and a stupid conversation from the secretary about how great the school was, how she was going to enjoy it here and blah, blah, blah. Oh and an interrogation from the principal, Ms. Darkholme.  
  
"And what do we have here," Ms. Darkholme a.k.a. Mystique said menacingly as she stalked up to Iris who had entered her office.  
  
"A girl called Iris Yee," replied Iris stonily as she stared with a face devoid of emotion. Sometimes to anger people, Iris just stared at them blankly, making them uneasy at having to look into her unnatural violet eyes.  
  
"That was a rhetorical question brat," snapped back Ms. Darkholme.  
  
Iris inwardly sighed. //Great. I have to have a wicked principal who enjoys giving the evil eye. A perfect start on the first day at a brand-new school.//  
  
On and on the interrogation went, with Ms. Darkholme trying to dig deep into Iris's background. Iris just gave small curt answers, working Ms. Darkholme into a frustrating tizzy. She finally barked out a dismissal at Iris.  
  
"I do hope you have a wonderful time at Bayville high." sneered Ms. Darkholme before slamming her office door at Iris's back.  
  
Iris groaned then went on a nearly fruitless search for her first class. By the time she had reached it, the class was nearly over. Knocking on the door, Iris peeked in and the teacher almost literally pounced on her.  
  
"And why are YOU late may I ask?" the teacher ask with a curled lip.  
  
Iris calmed herself down, keeping a blank face before answering coldly. "I'm a new student to this school and I've just been to the office to get my school things organized."  
  
"Oh." said the teacher disappointedly as his favorite hobby was catching people breaking the school rules, then punishing them. Just then the bell rung.  
  
The school hallways suddenly teemed with life as students rushed to their next class. Iris's first class teacher turned back to the classroom saying above the chaos, "Don't forget to do pages 50-55 and read 60-70 now..." he paused "Or else," he continued with a maniacal glint in his eye. Everyone groaned. "Hey." a voice thick with a German accent suddenly whispered into Iris's ear. She jumped, startled, then turned around to see Evan grinning at her. "You're new, huh." he stated.  
  
"Yes," Iris replied cautiously, debating whether this boy was being nice or looking for a girl to hit on.  
  
Evan looked at Iris, his eyes checking to see whether she had a faint sign of mutation. The only thing special about her was the fact she was really pretty, with her long silky black hair tied into a braid, smooth milky skin and pure violet eyes...he blinked. Violet eyes? No, the eyes were actually brown, yet he could have sworn they were violet a second ago.  
  
"De name is Kurt," he said coming back to himself with a start. "How about I help you vith finding your classes."  
  
"I don't need any help," said Iris lightly breezing by Kurt and walking away.  
  
Kurt scratched his head. "Dalk about a cold shoulder." he muttered.  
  
* * * * * "Yo, have you seen the new kid?" asked Todd a.k.a. Toad when he met his friends at the lockers during lunch.  
  
"Whatnewkidareyoutalkingabout?" asked Pietro a.k.a. Quicksilver immediately swiveling his head around at the word 'new kid.'  
  
"A chick whose said to be as cold as ice." replied Lance a.k.a. Avalanche walking up them.  
  
Pietro opened his mouth to speak at top speed again then paused, when Lance glared at him. Pietro coughed then spoke slowly, stressing each syllable. "Whoooo saaaaiiiiid sooooo?"  
  
"Some sissy cheerleaders, who were gossiping outside the office," Lance sneered.  
  
"So, think the new kid's mutant?" Todd asked flicking out his tongue to catch a fly.  
  
"Won't know till we ask her." replied Pietro exuberantly, "so let's go!" He leapt up and was about to run off when he find out he couldn't move. He twisted his neck and complained, "Fred!"  
  
Fred a.k.a. Blob, who was holding onto the collar of Pietro's shirt, blinked then said heavily, "We can't go now because it's lunch and I need to eat lunch." Pietro whined, "But Fred, this is important! Lunch can wait ya now."  
  
Lance quickly shoved a few coins into a vending machine then grabbed the sandwiches that fell out. "Here's a deal Fred, you eat these sandwiches for lunch and come quietly with us to check out this girl." Fred didn't answer, but just grabbed the food and commenced to chew it.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Have you heard of the new kid?" Kitty asked Rogue as they walked to lunchroom.  
  
"No an' Ah don' care," drawled the streaked-hair girl, rolling her eyes at Kitty's horrible habit of gossiping.  
  
Kitty continued chatting, oblivious to Rogue's boredom. "They say that she's like really cute and she always hostile to anyone who talks to her. And she's like really quiet in class, never saying a word to anyone except when the teacher asks her a question. She's really super-smart too, she answered a bunch of hard questions asked by the teacher in my math class and got them all right. Like, she must be totally a genius."  
  
The other girl snorted. All the information that Kitty had just provided was information that a cheerleader or any other type of 'valley girl' would search for. "Uhh...Kitty, ever bother findin' out if she's got mutant powers or somethin'?" Rogue drawled.  
  
Kitty stopped talking and blinked. "Oh gosh! I like totally forgot about that!" Rogue snorted again.  
  
Typical.  
  
* * * * * All the X-men sat together in the same spot as they did every day. It wasn't long before Kurt and Evan started horsing around each other and playing with their disgusting cafeteria food. Then Jean and Kitty would start talking about 'girly things' and Scott would listen them, mooning over Jean. And Rogue would just sit listening to everything around her. As Rogue just sat creating a hole in her mashed potatoes, a shadow fell across her lunch tray. Looking, she saw the "new kid" walking past the X-men's table. Rogue looked at her and saw nothing special about her. About to turn back to her food she saw a bright flash of silver out of the corner of her eye. Spinning around, she caught the silver flare diminish from the new kid's eyes. Rogue stared hard at the kid, noting that her eyes were now an unnatural violet. No wait, they were an inky blue aren't they? Rogue rubbed her eyes and looked back at the kid who was now walking halfway across the cafeteria. Rogue turned to Scott and poked him.  
  
"Ah think that we've found our mutan'," she said simply.  
  
* * * * * Iris was a bit dumbfounded. She could hardly believe that the German kid she had met was really a blue elf with a tail. A mutant.  
  
//Must have a cloaking device to hide all that fur.// she mused.  
  
She made her way to a grove of trees on the school grounds. She picked one and sat with her back against it. She pulled out an apple, a slightly squashed chicken pie and a juice carton, all of which she had snitched from the school kitchen. She grinned to herself, in her mind. Iris usually kept her face blank, teaching her how to be more calm in all kinds of situations and making her emotions harder to read to others. Besides, it made people around her more nervous .  
  
Iris picked up the apple eyeing it. She watched as sunlight struck its waxy, dull red skin. She breathed on it, rubbed it against her shirt and raised it to her mouth.  
  
SWISH!  
  
A whirlwind flew by Iris and her hand holding the fruit was now empty. Rising on her feet, Iris growled mentally when she saw a grinning Pietro holding her apple.  
  
//Another mutant. How many more shall I meet today?// she thought bitterly.  
  
"Hey! Give back that to me!" Iris demanded, her eyes flashing a fierce orange.  
  
"Orwhatsweetheartyou'regonnakillme?" responded Pietro smirking.  
  
"Maybe I'll do something worse," she retorted coldly, cracking her knuckles.  
  
"I don't think you should try that honey, you might break your sweet little china face," a voice rose behind Iris. She turned around to find the rest of Pietro's friends standing there. Eyes changing to a whitish-blue of surprise, she still kept her face straight while emotions raged within her.  
  
//Great. More mutants.//  
  
Duh duh duh duuuuh...Oh no! What is brotherhood of mutants going to do to Iris. Is a fight going to break out? Anyway, do you guys like it? Please, please, PLEASE send reviews to me. I refuse to write any more chapters unless I have at least 3 reviews. Until then, Ja! 


	2. Chapter 2: Searching for Trouble

I do NOT, I repeat do NOT own X-men: Evolution. Some wonderful people at Warner Bros. and Marvel Comics does. I wanted to make a few corrections on my 1st chapter. In the beginning I meant Marvel Comics, not DC comics. And in the part where Iris meets Kurt and gives him a cold shoulder, I accidentally put the name Evan when I meant Kurt all along. Now that we're finished with THAT I would just like to say I was ever soooooooo happy when I received my 3 reviews. And ever so quickly too! Now I get to post the second chapter of my fic. So here it A reminder that I own Iris and a villain who's coming up in the story.  
  
"talking" = talking in a normal voice //thinking// = character thinking ~telepathy~ = talking telepathically  
  
I dedicate this chapter to Em again, Christine, Andie and especially Neva who all supported me in my writing.  
  
Chapter 2: Searching for Trouble  
  
//Great. More mutants.// "What do you guys want? If you're just looking for trouble, go find it somewhere else." Iris called out to the Brotherhood of Mutants.  
  
"Oh, but you see, it's you we want to find," answered Lance stepping out from the group. "We know what you are."  
  
"Woopdydoo," replied Iris sarcastically, "So you know that I'm a mutant. What are you going to do about it bub."  
  
"Yo, so you are a mutant," Todd said triumphantly, "I knew I was right."  
  
Pietro flashed next to Iris's side and leaned his elbow on her shoulder. "Wow, you're a feisty one aren't you. I just love tough women you know," he said, winking charmingly before taking a loud bite from the apple. Iris glared at him, eyes taking on a vicious glowing yellow. Pietro seeing this leapt back.  
  
"Woah, now that's what I call a look that kills," he announced. Todd hopped up to Iris. "So that's all that you can do? Change your eye color?" Todd said in disbelief. Iris looked down at him, eyes clearly showing disgust.  
  
"Don't judge a book by its cover you filthy amphibian," she unfeelingly. "Now if you gentleman don't mind," she continued stooping down to grab her knapsack, "I'll take my leave." She twirled around and took a step forward.  
  
Fred, signaled by Lance, immediately grabbed her and pinned her up against a tree. "Lemme go you freak," Iris snarled, emotions now being clearly imprinted upon her face. "So the cold-blooded chick can feel anger," Lance astounded in a sarcastic way. "That's good for the cause that we're asking you to join."  
  
"What cause?"  
  
"We're all mutants you see," Lance said grandly, sweeping an arm dramatically to indicate his friends. "We're a team that believes mutants are superior than the normal human beings and so should be eliminated. We're recruiting members and we would like for you to join."  
  
Iris rolled her eyes. "Have you guys ever thought of the reason for your team's smallness." she said through gritted teeth. "Oh, but I nearly forgot. All of your brains combined probably couldn't even produce one understandable idea."  
  
"Hey!" said all of the boys except Fred.  
  
"Listen," said Lance temptingly as he advanced toward Iris, "We know what's it like to be a mutant and have to hide from others. That's why we mutants should all stick together, right? So how about you crash at our place? Deal?"  
  
"I don't believe she wants to stick with you idiots Lance," a new voice uttered. Everyone turned around to see Scott, Jean, Kurt and the rest of the X-men standing there.  
  
"This is just perfect," snarled Iris feeling really ticked off, "MORE mutant freaks."  
  
"Hey you're like one too so you shouldn't like go around insulting yourself," Kitty protested.  
  
"You know what, this is getting really tiresome so I think I'm gonna have to blaze," replied Iris and then kneed Fred hard in the gut. Fred immediately let go of her and doubled up, wheezing.  
  
"Seems like Fred is losing his touch," Evan smirked at the surprised Brotherhood team.  
  
"Get her, she's running away!" an enraged Lance shouted at Pietro.  
  
"Okey dokey boss," responded Pietro sassily before streaming off at top speed.  
  
"And that leaves you to us," Lance turned back to the X-men, "Hope you X- geeks can beat us three."  
  
"Make that four," Tabitha said stepping out of a tree's shadows. (Author's note: I've just watched today's X-men Evolution show and saw Tabitha making her first appearance, so I decided to add her to my story.( Back to the fanfic!)  
  
"Vhat are YOU doing here," Kurt said dumbfounded.  
  
"Helping these guys," Tabitha replied jerking a finger to the other boys, then created a small bomb with her powers. "Let's rumble," she said before throwing the bomb at the X-men. * * * * * Pietro raced towards the running Iris, easily catching up with her. "So where are you going dollface?" he asked jauntily and swerving to a stop in front of her.  
  
"Get out of my way speedy," snapped Iris, eyes now a demonic red, landed a punch on his face, breaking his nose and making it bleed. Pietro caught off guard fell back on his butt and gingerly touched his nose.  
  
"Why you b****," he muttered darkly when he saw the blood. But when he looked up, she was already gone.  
  
"I'll catch you later," he said with an air of revenge then sped back to his friends. * * * * *  
  
The fight though had broken off very quickly as after Tabitha's explosion, the Brotherhood had run away in the chaos and smoke  
  
"Why, those cowards," Scott coughed out, "Running away from a fight."  
  
"Well they were outnumbered," said Jean placing a hand on Scott's shoulder to calm him down. The school bell then rung, indicating the end of class.  
  
"We'll find the new kid later," ordered Scott, "Let's get back to class." The X-men went their separate ways, unknowingly being watched by Iris from the tree's branches. She leapt down athletically and remarked, "Amazing how one can become from a being loner in school to being wanted by everyone." * * * * * The Brotherhood of Mutants met outside of Lance's car after school.  
  
"Yo, what do we do now Lance?" asked Toad who sat upon of the car's hood.  
  
"I don't know yet, but I do know that you had better get your slime OFF MY CAR!" Lance said angrily. "Alright, alright, stop being so picky," muttered Todd jumping down.  
  
"I bet the new kid's still around," commented Tabitha as she leaned against the car casually, "So let's spread out and search for her."  
  
"I'll stay here," Fred immediately said as he shoved some chips into his mouth.  
  
"Aw Fred....can't you stop thinking with your stomach and instead, with what's in-between your thick skull," Pietro said knocking on Fred's head for emphasis.  
  
"What's in-between my skull?" asked Fred stupidly with his mouth full of chocolate. Everyone groaned at Fred's stupidity.  
  
"Alright then, Fred you stay here, Todd check the gym, Pietro the classrooms, Tabitha the library and I'll check the other places left," ordered Lance. The mutants went their ways.  
  
"Where do you think they're going," asked Jean to the X-men.  
  
"Thay're lookin' for the new kid o' course," snorted Rogue at the popular redhead's stupidity. Jean, sensing Rogue's thoughts about her question, frowned at her.  
  
"Okay guys, so let's spread out and find...." Scott looked questioningly at Kurt.  
  
"Iris," Kurt supplied.  
  
"Right Iris," Scott said. The X-men fanned out through the school. * * * * * //Now if I was a mutant who didn't want others to find me, where would I hide?// Todd thought. He leapt into the gym and looked around. He saw a dark, human-like form underneath the bleachers. "Yo! I've gotcha now!" he said ecstatically. Jumping onto the bleachers frog-like he peered into it.  
  
"Hey! Back off you pervert!" a senior's voice hollered and lashed a hand out between the bleacher's stairs. A girl stared out worriedly behind the senior's back.  
  
//So, the new mutant ain't the gym.// Todd thought discontentedly, //There's only a couple makin' out there.// * * * * * Lance sprinted through the halls peering around every corner. He was starting to become frustrated as all he wanted to do was go home and watch some TV. He crashed into someone.  
  
"Hey watched where you're going," he shouted.  
  
"I think you should watch where you're going," Scott's voice replied.  
  
"Shades, if I were you, I would just round up your team and scuttle back to your fancy mansion," growled Lance, " 'cause the new mutant's ours."  
  
"We saw her first," Scott said, "So hands off."  
  
"Let's just see who gets to her first," smirked Lance then ran off. Scott dashed into the opposite direction. * * * * * Iris sat down on the auditorium's stage behind a curtain. She sighed in relief, happy to be in solitude again. //This is just perfect.// she smiled to herself taking out a drawing pad and pencil. She smoothed a blank paper down, enjoying its unruffled, creamy texture. //Now what to draw.// she mused tapping a finger on her nose. She suddenly grinned, eyes swiftly shifting into a humorous turquoise. //How about speedy here.// She started sketching a picture of Pietro sitting on his rump and touching his nose in pain.  
  
"Didn't think I'd find you here sugah," Rogue's voice rebounded in the large auditorium. Iris looked up and sighed. A mutant had found her. She got up and placed her drawing pad in her backpack, all in one swift motion.  
  
"Why can't you guys just leave me alone?" demanded Iris, eyes switching from humor to a dark forest green of disbelief.  
  
"We just wanna help," defended Rogue. She changed her voice to a sincere tone, "I know how hard your life's been like. Why dontcha just let us help you?"  
  
"I don't need help," Iris said stoutly, "I just need to be alone. And about knowing how hard life's been to me," Iris rolled her eyes. "Think again sis."  
  
"Fine," growled Rogue taking off a glove, "Let's do this the hard way then." She grabbed Iris's hand, waiting for powers and memories to be sucked in. Instead, nothing happen.  
  
"Nice try," Iris sneered then mist-like fog erupted her hands and swirled around Rogue.  
  
"What the..." Rogue gasped as a feeling of frigidity, pierced through every pore of her skin. Rogue opened her mouth to scream in pain when the frostiness disappeared. She opened her eyes to find herself all alone, kneeling on the stage and trembling uncontrollably. * * * * * Iris raced towards the same grove of trees where she was at lunchtime. Grabbing the nearest branch on a tree, she swung herself up and climber higher. After she was a certain long distance from the ground and hidden in- between the leaves, she stopped and seated herself comfortably. Iris could have easily camouflaged herself using her powers, but it took time and energy. Taking out her sketch pad again, she started adding detail to Pietro's surprise on his face.  
  
"Vhat are you drawing there?"  
  
Iris nearly fell out of the tree, her heart jumped in surprise. She glared bright golden eyes at Kurt who was lounging on the branch next to her.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why the hell do you guys always have to follow me?!" she shrieked.  
  
"Temper, temper," remarked Kurt, shaking a finger at her.  
  
"You think my temper's BIG! Then take this you blue German elf!" and with that Iris pushed Kurt out of the tree. He yelled, startled, but teleported in time to appear safely on the ground. During this Iris had twirled upside down on the branch like a bat and somersaulted through the air to the ground. She shot off like a bullet, leaving behind a dazed Kurt. * * * * * Iris now ran to the parking lot. Quickly checking the few cars that were there for an open window, she got lucky and found one. It was Lance's car. Unluckily though, Fred was there eating away like the pig he was.  
  
//Great. I need to make a diversion.// thought Iris. Fred hadn't noticed her yet, so busy was he eating. She crawled cat-like, hidden by the car next to Lance's. Concentrating, mist gyrated around her hands, then sped off to a spot few feet away from Fred. Conjured through the mist was a triple-layer cake, complete with icing and decorative fruit. Fred sniffed the air and turned his head in the direction of the sweet.  
  
"CAKE!" he squealed like a kid and trundled off to it, his body shaking the ground. Iris sniggered softly at the easiness of the task and wasted no time into breaking into Lance's car. And guess what! The keys were left in the car!  
  
//Man, this is getting way too easy!// Iris thought.  
  
Revving up the engine, she put the car in reverse and raced out of the parking, right under Lance's nose.  
  
"Hey! Get back here with my car!" he screamed shaking his fist. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he forced the earth to tremble. But the car was too fast for him since it got away from the area of ground he controlled. Fuming, Lance turned to Fred who was stuffing his face.  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HER!" he screamed with same amount of vigor as an exploding volcano. Fred didn't stop to reply, but his hand did. It shot out and pinned Lance by the neck against a nearby tree.  
  
"Grarg....ack...kack..." Lance sputtered. Fred kept on eating as if the world was coming to an end. * * * * * Scott used his communicator watch to tell the team to get back in front of the school. After the X-men were assembled, stories spouted out.  
  
"My powers didn't work..."  
  
"She saw who I was..."  
  
"She stole Lance's car...."  
  
"I couldn't find her..."  
  
Scott put his hand up for silence. He pointed at Rogue and Kurt. "You two said that you encountered her. What's your story?"  
  
Rogue answered trembling, she was still shaky after her near-death experience of coldness. "She was immune to mah powers and made me feel co...." there she broke off shivering. Scott scratched his thoughtfully. So this new mutant was immune to Rogue's power and had also made Rogue frightened. Both nearly impossible things to do. He pointed at Kurt.  
  
Words tumbled out the blue-furred elf. "She saw vhat I vas...she kicked me...I fell..." Scott shook his head. This mutant could see through holograms then. She must be really powerful then...  
  
"YOU LASER-EYED FREAK!"  
  
Scott looked up to see Lance stomping towards him. Now what? Lance poked a finger at Scott's chest. "You told her to do it, didnacha! You told her to go off and steal my...I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS SUMMERS!" Lance screamed, spit flying from his mouth. Todd, Tabitha, Pietro and Fred (who was still eating the cake) all stood a respectable distance away from their mad, bomb-exploding leader. Scott raised his hands in defense.  
  
"What did I tell who to do?" he asked raising eyebrows questioningly.  
  
"YOU TOLD THAT B**** MUTANT TO STEAL MY CAR!" Lance exploded.  
  
"Now what here a second earth boy," Scott said annoyed, "I didn't tell anyone to do anything to you."  
  
"LIAR! I SAW HER STEAL MY CAR RIGHT UNDERNEATH MY NOSE!" Lance shrieked, his face reddening out of control. Evan sniggered. Lance shot a death look at him.  
  
"Your car got stolen Avalanche?" Evan said using Lance's code-name, "I'm sorry man, but I can't imagine your car being a car 'cause it's just..."  
  
"WHY YOU LIL' BAS...." Lance screamed, temper now way out of its boundaries.  
  
"No one told me it was your car you know. I just needed a getaway." a voice piped up. Everyone turned in that direction to see Iris.  
  
Oh look! Iris came baaaack! Is Lance going to kill her? What does Iris have up her sleeve? To find out guys I need two more reviews, ok! Can someone also please enlighten me on the last names of all the characters and the personalities of the bad guys? I'd appreciate your help. Thanks then. Ji jien! (mandarin for bye) 


	3. Chapter 3: Interesting Way

**Dear Readers. I would just like to apologize to you for the several mistakes I've made in my 2nd chapter. I was kinda writing it in rush since I wanted to post it as soon as possible. In this chapter though, I'll pay more attention to the mistakes. I do not own X-men: Evolution, Warner Bros. and Marvel Comics does. I OWN IRIS AND A VILLAIN COMING UP! THAT'S FINAL! Hope you enjoy my new chapter! **

"talking" = talking in a normal voice

//thinking// = character thinking

_~telepathy~ = talking telepathically _

**I dedicate this chapter to all of my reviewers! Thanks guys, you rock!**

Chapter 3: Interesting Way 

"No one told me it was your car you know. I just needed a getaway." a voice piped up. Everyone turned in that direction to see Iris.

"WHY YOU DIRTY PIECE OF ....!" screamed Lance as he ran towards Iris. She put her hands up and fog sped from them to create a wall of floating wooden spikes appear around her. 

"Touch me and you'll get holes in your skin," she threatened coldly. This made Lance think twice and stop. "That's better," she said and crossed her arms. "Now I want to clearly know why all of you mutants are so eager to get your hands on me."

"We explained ourselves didn't we?" asked Tabitha. "You join our group," she gestured to the BOH, "or you join the X-geeks over there." She pointed at the X-men.

"So what are you guys, some kind of cults," Iris questioned, eyebrows raised.

"We aren't like cults," defended Kitty. "We're like people who either totally help or destroy the world." At the last statement, Kitty glared at the Brotherhood of Mutants.  

Iris sighed and rocked on her heels. "Would it do if I told you all that I'm not interested in joining any of you?"

"No!" Evan and Pietro said simultaneously. They stared daggers at each other.

"What if I bashed you all up in smithereens, then would you stop bothering me?" Iris asked with menacing reddish-orange eyes.

"NO!" everyone chorused. Everyone then glared at each other.

"Besides," smirked Pietro sticking his hands in his pocket, "I'd like to see you try." 

"Don't say I didn't warn you," replied Iris coolly as she raised her hands in the air. Before any of the other mutants could react, she had smothered them in a dense fog. Screams and moans of pain emitted from the fog, as they all experienced the sensation of slooowly being exploded to bits. Iris controlled the experience as long as she could, but when she felt them all feeling the part where their limbs were disconnecting she stopped. She forced the fog to last longer as she made her escape. Running until she was at least two blocks from the school, she turned around and cut off her illusion. Then, she kept on running back to her foster parents' house.

"Voah, vhat happened?" asked Kurt shakily as he lay slouched on the ground. 

"I don't know and don't want to," groaned Jean.

"Let's get back to the Institute," moaned Scott and the X-men hobbled up to his car.

* * * * * 

"It was like horrible," gasped out Kitty. The X-men were all now in the living room lying around either on the floor or on the couches clutching ice packs. 

"Hmm...interesting," mused Professor Xavier thoughtfully. "You mean to say that this girl Iris covered you with a dense fog and slowly gave you the sensation of being ripped to pieces yet you actually got harmed. Am I correct?"

"Yup," chorused the X-men.

"A really weird kid if you ask me Charles," growled Logan.

"Hmm...let me do a check-up on Iris and see where her current residence is," said Xavier and wheeled away with Logan and Ororo following. The X-men groaned an acknowledgment.

* * * * *

Iris crept through the door of her adopted 'home'. Quietly sneaking upstairs, she hoped to reach her room unnoticed. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen.

"Where ya been wench?" slurred out her foster father's voice as he grabbed her drunkenly by the arm. Beer cans littered the floor. Iris's foster mother, hair tousled and dark circles adorning her eyes, snored in the armchair with a cigarette still smoking in her hand. Iris stared coldly with disgust at her foster dad.

"I've been at school," she replied, her eyes just the normal violet yet with a thin ring of bright silver appearing around the pupil. 

"That isn't what I meant brat," her foster father, **(ok guys, lets start calling Iris's foster father Dill, I'm kinda getting tired of always calling him 'foster father') Dill, leered. Grabbing a nearby walking cane, he started thrashing Iris, holding on to her arm all the time. "What I'm asking you you stupid, is where were you this morning!" He punctuated the last five words with a harsh hit each.**

"Ow!...I decided...ouch!...to go to school...stop it!...by myself!" Iris gulped out as she tried to duck the blows as much as she could. Dill didn't pay attention to her excuse, just kept on beating her as hard as he could, venting his anger out in his drunkenness. Then the doorbell rang. Dill let go off Iris who sped up to her room and slammed the door. Dill stumbled to the door and wrenched the door open. "WHADDYA WANT!"

Xavier raised his eyebrows when he saw Dill's disheveled appearance. Shirt half-buttoned, faded jeans, tousled hair, shirt half-tucked and eyes red from loss of sleep.

"We're looking for a girl called Iris," Xavier stated calmly.

"Well she ain't here," muttered Dill and was about to close the door when Ororo's foot stepped out and stopped it. 

"I believe that this is the correct address," she said mildly. Dill scowled. 

"She's upstairs," he replied grudging, opening the door. Xavier and Ororo entered and immediately wrinkled their noses. Dill, not noticing, pointed to the stairs.

"She's there," he grumbled and walked unsteadily back to the living room. Ororo walked the way Dill had pointed to while Xavier stayed on the first floor. Wheeling around, he noticed the number of beer cans on the floor and the snoring woman. There were pictures on the wall that hung crookedly. Going to the kitchen, he looked in the fridge and noticed the pitiful amount of food.

//A poor example of a home.// he thought. 

* * * * *

Ororo went to the second floor and looked around. "Iris?" she called out. She noticed an open door and went to it. She pushed it open to discover a storage room with a bed squeezed into the corner. Clothes were laid out on the bed. Feeling a wind, she looked up to see a small, square window against the ceiling opened. She wheeled around and rushed downstairs. 

"She's gone Professor."

* * * * *

Iris hummed to herself as she searched for the Bayville Park. Her backpack was slung on one shoulder, containing her sketchpad, pencils and thick dusty book. She strolled on then suddenly winced. The bruises on her back and hips were still tender, although they were healing. She was used to this kind of thing, from previous foster parents. Seeing a green patch ahead of her, she walked faster and reached the park. Looking around, she saw that nobody was there. She was slightly alarmed as she expected to see some children playing on the playground, but she dismissed the thought. Heading for a grove of large Douglas fir trees, she aimed straight for the expansive shade provided. Iris preferred coolness to the sun's heat. Dropping her knapsack, she stood there and breathed deeply. Again she was alone, with her thoughts, with herself. Nothing could disturb her or harm her now. Iris felt a playful exuberance overwhelming her. Eyes changed to a sunny marigold yellow. Her feet took a step to the left, then to the right. Without warning, she twirled around. Hips swaying, head moving to a beat, she danced to a music only she could hear. She performed cartwheels, backward flips and somersaults in the air. Then just as suddenly as she started, she halted. Eyes diminished back to their lovely violet. Clapping was heard. 

Iris whirled around. The Brotherhood of Mutants stood there. "Excellent dancing honey," commented Lance, smirking. 

Iris sighed. "Haven't you guys had enough?" 

"No, not really," Tabitha said, blowing across her fingernails. Iris didn't reply, instead she just raised her hands and shot out mist. Pietro sped forward and knocked her down, breaking her concentration. Then the visions hit Iris. 

She arched her back, screaming before falling back down. She then just lay there twitching, her eyes moving underneath her closed eyelids. The BOH stared at her. 

"Yo, this girl sure is wacko," said Toad, saying out everyone's thoughts. 

Lance signaled Fred forward. "Fred pick her up and let's get outta here."

"You shall not be," a firm adult voice said. The teenagers turned to see Storm floating in her battle suit. 

"Look here boys, weather witch decided to crash the party," sneered Lance. Storm stared at him frostily. 

"As a matter of fact, yes, I did decide to crash the party," replied Storm. She sent a huge wind against the teenagers, making them fly in the wind and land 10 feet from where they were. When everything had settled down, Storm and Iris were gone, with only Iris's knapsack left.

"Why do those X-geeks always have to butt into!" Lane said angrily.

"Maybe because we're butting in too," Fred said sensibly.

"Fred, now is not the time," said Tabitha through gritted teeth.

* * * * * 

Iris found herself in the same dark room with the corpses like in her dream last night. This time, the lightbulb was brighter and the dead bodies were hanging on meat hooks, each with 4 different hastily, scrawled number on them. Everything looked fuzzy to Iris and kept on flickering, like a TV show that wasn't broadcasting well. Looking around, she noticed that she was lying on the wooden table in her dream, strapped onto it with leather. 

//Now I'm really starting to freak out.// she thought.

A short, hunched person wearing a brown robe shuffled up to her. Its head was covered up with a brown hood. When it had reached Iris's head, it grinned, only revealing the yellow, unkempt teeth in its mouth. It raised its arm with something gleaming dull silver in its hand. It plunged the gleaming silver into her neck. 

"AHHHHHHH....." Iris shrieked as she writhed in pain. She tried to twist out of straps. 

"Logan! Hold her down!" Xavier commanded. Logan placed his hands on Iris's shoulders and pushed with all of his strength. Iris still squirmed within his grasp.

//This girl is strong.// Logan thought admirably. 

Iris was actually in the infirmary of the Xavier Institute. She had been brought here by Storm and Professor Xavier was now trying to wake her up. Sinking a syringe in her neck, he ejected a clear fluid. Iris lay slumped as though exhausted. Her eyes were still closed. 

"Come on, wake up," murmured Xavier. He lightly slapped her face with no result.

Iris blinked. Although she felt something cold slide down her neck and fire raged through that spot, she could see more clearly. The mysterious person chuckled and reached for something. A metal hook on a small rod, the kind they used at the dentist office, twinkled with an evil, mischievous look. The hooded person slid it on Iris's belly, then sliced her tummy open allowing blood to gush forth. 

"AHHHHHH.....!" Iris sat up in bed as she screamed. She stopped, breathing rapidly. Her eyes went perfectly white with fear and were as round as saucers. Bit by bit, the black pupil returned and soft purple of curiosity came. Seeing the X-men grouped around her, Iris scrambled backwards. Her back, covered with bruises and cuts, scraped against the hard wall making her flinch. 

"Calm down child," Ororo's voice rang. Looking up she saw an African  woman with long, pure white hair. The lady smiled and placed a comforting hand on Iris's shoulder. Looking around, she noticed the teenage mutants who had chased her. 

"You!" she gasped out.

"There's no need to be alarmed. You currently at the Xavier Institute for Gifted People," Xavier said. Next to Iris she saw a bald man in a wheelchair. 

"What is this place?" she questioned curiously.

"This is the medical infirmary." Xavier gestured around him. "As for the Institute, it's a school for..."

"...mutants." Iris cut in. Xavier slightly winced as he preferred 'gifted'. "In a way."

"How'd I get here?" Iris asked in a straight-forward manner. Ororo explained the story, with bits from the X-men adolescents about how strange Iris was in unconscious state. After the story was told, they asked Iris what she experienced while senseless. She paused. "I was in a dream."

"In a dream?" Xavier said eyebrows politely raised. Iris nodded vigorously. Xavier reached out towards her head. "Try to recall the dream," he directed, "And allow me to revision it along with you." Iris scuttled away from his outstretched hands. 

"Nuh uh," she disagreed. "I don't think you'd want to use to your powers while touching me." 

"You mean you can absorb in people's life energy or powers like Rogue here?" asked the professor.

"Much worse that that," Iris said without skipping a beat. Xavier stretched out an offering hand to her. _~Try me. ~ He sent telepathically. Iris paused then slowly grasped his. Xavier placed two fingers on two temples on her head. Suddenly he got blasted with thoughts, snatches of Iris's dreams and pain. He got propelled backwards and hit the wall harshly, fell forward and grunted with pain. The X-men leapt forward._

"Are you fine Professor?" asked Jean with a worried tone.

"I'm fine Jean," Xavier answered as he was helped into his chair. He wheeled back to Iris's side who was lying down and panting. 

"It seems that you can amplify people's abilities Iris, to far greater degrees," he said. "Since you are tired out as am I, why don't you stay for the night in this ward?" Iris nodded as she suddenly realized the amount of excitement she had just had. The X-men left her, with Ororo smoothing Iris's rumpled blanket down and going away. Kurt halted in the doorway when everyone was gone.

"Sleep tight, don't let de bed bugs bite," he whispered winking before exiting. Iris rolled her eyes. She drifted to sleep with one last thought before blacking out.

//Where's my backpack?//

* * * * * 

"Yo, what's this trash she's carrying," hooted Toad. Iris's backpack was now being plundered by the BOH. 

"Dunno," said Lance who was flipping through her sketchbook leaving smudges on her beautifully realistic drawings. Picture of mythical creatures were mostly in it, griffins, mermaids, dragons, wizards....he paused at one page. A boy about 17 years old looked dreamily through dark, misty eyes with his head slightly facing to right. Dark hair was swept to the side on his forehead, a firm jaw was situated underneath his slightly pointy ears and a strong nose looked graceful with his handsome features. In the right hand corner above Iris's signature were the initials L.L. 

//Who can this be.// Lance thought then flipped to the next page. "Hey Piet! Check this out!" Pietro zoomed to look over Lance's shoulder. 

"Hey that's me!" Pietro cried out, grabbing the drawing and holding it up the light. 

 "Sure is Einstein," snickered Lance, clapping a hand onto the speed demon's shoulder.

Pietro looked thoughtfully at the drawing. This girl was actually quite a good artist. The picture seemed so real, Pietro could feel the surprise depicted on his face, taste the blood coming through his nose and the anger the drawing was emitting at being ridiculed. Pietro wondered whether he could hang this in room, it looked so wonderful.....

"Earth to Pietroooo," Tabitha sang snapping fingers in front his face, which was now holding a foolish smile. 

"Wha...?" he said startled. Tabitha chuckled nonchalantly. "You were grinning like an idiot back there. You gotta crush or something on this girl." Pietro blushed. 

"Course not." He mumbled. Tabitha winced at the speed of words. 

"I'll take that as a no sweetheart. Anyways....Pietro is bluuuushing, Pietro is bluuuushing!" she squawked out, pointing an accusing finger at him. Pietro's face reddened more.

"Shut up!" he whispered urgently, slapping down Tabitha's raised hand. 

"This is why girls ain't allowed in the Brotherhoo' of Mutants," muttered Todd.

"Hey! If I were you punk....." Tabitha hollered at Todd with fists on her hips. Pietro escaped, zipping up the stairs to his room. Tearing the drawing with him on it from the sketchbook, he taped to the wall. Sighing, he flopped onto his spring-broken bed staring at the cracked wall where the drawing was held. 

**Oh look! Pietro has a cruuuuush on Iris! Sorry if you find the long, stressed letters annoying I just looooove doing it! I won't be able to update the story as quickly as I did with the first three chapters because I have school this week. I might be able to send out the fourth chapter three days from now since I get a day off on that day. Please, please send reviews!! I hope I get as many as I did before. Thanks bye!**


	4. ATTENTION REVIEWERS!

OK PEOPLE!!! SOMEONE ACCUSED OF IRIS BEING A MARY-SUE!!!! *glares with malice at a particular reviewer* I'm trying as HARD as I can on not making my character one!! But it just seems a challenge to me! How can an author not resist making their heroine perfect! And Iris has to have great powers or else she wouldn't be a valuable person in my plot. Now, I want all of my reviewers to send me at least one change I can make on Iris so she can stop being a MARY-SUE!!! Then I'm gonna re-edit all of my chapters to fit in the new Iris. Got that? Then go for it. And haven't you noticed how unfriendly Iris can be to other people? 


	5. Chapter 4: Introductory

I'm REALLY sorry readers for taking so long to post! It's because I had a LOT of school work to do. (big emphasis on lot) I would also like to say that……right now I don't CARE if Iris acts like a Mary-Sue. If she is, to hell with that! I'm still writing this fanfic! This is my story, my world and my way of the highway and if none of you readers can take that, THEN BEAT IT!!! *points to the door, pauses, panting* I hope that I didn't scare any of you with that rant I just had. Don't let that stop you though from sending me reviews, criticising my fanfic! I'll rant for one to two chapters about it then start using it for advice. Now I shall start repeating the same old boring disclaimer; I do not own X-men: Evolution Warner Bros. and Marvel Comics does. I OWN IRIS AND A VILLAIN COMING UP SO BACK OFF. Oh and also another mysterious person that's coming up too. Read on fanfic readers.

"talking" = talking in a normal voice

//thinking// = character thinking

_~telepathy~ = talking telepathically _

_I dedicate this chapter to reviewer "me" who sent me 2 funny reviews... She was also the person who gave me more ideas for the story. THANKS A BUNCH!!!_

Chapter 4: Introductory

Iris suddenly woke up in the dark. Her eyes were still groggy from sleep and she wondered what had woken her up. Wanting to get back to sleep, she rolled over on her side and closed her eyes. Then something cold brushed her face, dropping her body temperature down by 20 degrees. Her eyes sprang back open and she gasped.

Transparent, misty eyes back into Iris's now-greyish eyes. Iris tried to scrambled back, but found she couldn't. Actually she couldn't even move a single muscle. Looking down, she found her entire body held down by thick vines that seemed to have crawled from underneath the bed. 

"What's going on!" Iris asked the misty human-like form in confused anger. The form reached out and lightly placed a finger on Iris's lips, silencing her and dropping her temperature down another few hundred degrees. The misty form straightened up, definitely satisfied. Then its shape cleared up more, to reveal a feminine form with wispy long hair and wearing a long gown. The form knelt down until it was level with the bed and began whispering urgently.

"We know what you're thinking, that you believe you're going crazy." it hissed.  "That the 'dreams' you're having are simply nightmares made out of your imagination. Well, they're not." Iris tried to yell for help, but the form seemed to have sealed her lips. It continued. "Those dreams are memories, transferred from a victim's mind. You are now to use those memories and help us. Ask Charles Xavier for help. Ask him to dig into your mind and discover your past. If you don't, then you'll have to bear the conscience of letting us down." Iris turned her face towards the female form, eyes clearly saying _"Who's us might I ask?"  The form chuckled harshly, then swept an arm at the area behind her. "That's the 'us' that I'm talking about." Iris's eyes widened._

Tons of pale human-like forms stood there sombrely. They lifted their hands in despair moaning randomly "Save us...save us....SAVE US!"

Iris flicked her eyes open. She sat up in bed, searching around her for any signs of misty forms. She nervously leaned over and checked underneath the bed for any vines that might've crawled out. Finding nothing, she plopped back onto the mattress. 

//I'm losing it.// she thought sadly.

* * * * *

Iris walked out of the medical infirmary, no...actually sneaked out of the medical infirmary. She decided to take a look around the place before any of the X-men decided to come and wake her up. She found herself in an empty corridor, with other hallways leading from it. She picked a hallway randomly and started walking along it. Walking on, she discovered more corridors that led to more corridors. She swore a string of colourful expressions under her breath, wondering why on earth could she have let herself be taken into this maze so easily. Finally, she found a metal door that slid open automatically. In front of her was room that was richly furnished with a luxurious carpet and elegant carved walls and a polished staircase with a curved banister. Iris softly padded in as the door closed with a soft hiss. She was in the main entrance room of the Xavier Institute. The sunlight that cast softly on the floor indicated that it was early morning. Curiosity was plainly written all over her face as she wonderingly looked around. It was large and the ceiling was high compared to pictures of mansions she had seen. She must have been swept away by its massiveness for she wasn't aware of someone's presence until a gruff voice growled, "What are you doing out of bed?" 

Iris gasped and nearly jumped in the air. Spinning around, she confronted a scowling Logan. "Just looking around. That's not against the rules here I suppose?" she responded sarcastically. Logan folded his arms and his scowl deepened at her. 

"I wouldn't go sneaking around here if I were you. Someone might mistake you for a thief," he said.

"I wasn't sneaking around, I was just exploring." she retorted. Logan was about to snarl back a reply when Professor Xavier wheeled in. "That's enough Logan." the professor said calmly. Logan closed his mouth, but didn't let his unpleasant expression disappear. Xavier looked at Iris.

"You were looking for me I presume?" he questioned. Iris looked startled at him then nodded. 

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked. Xavier raised his eyebrows.

"I am uncertain of what your meaning is Iris, for I will not do anything WITH you. But I do know that I would like to ask permission from your guardians to transfer you to this Institute. Then you would be able to hone your gifts of creating illusions here."

"They won't let you," Iris replied bluntly. "They'll want to keep me for the paycheque that the government sends to them monthly." Xavier's lips slightly curved. He held his hands together loosely in his lap.

"That does not mean you are not allowed to move in here," he said smilingly. Iris also allowed a smile drift onto her face. She stuck her hands in her pockets. 

"Well...I'm not exactly sure if you want to move in with you guys," Iris said jokingly then hastily added after seeing the expression on Logan's face, "But to cut long story short, I will."

"I'm glad you will Iris," said Xavier, "since it is a Saturday, ask Scott and Kitty go to your residence and pick up your things. You may use the X-van."

"Sure thing professor," responded Iris before she sauntered off. Xavier watched as she left. He turned to Logan.

"She does seem to change her personalities quickly," he commented. "From a spitting cat to a humorous, relaxed child."

"There's just a scent I don't like about her," Logan said in low tones. "An odour that comes off as if she's got somethin' to hide." Xavier absently stroked his chin absent-mindedly. 

"Yes...there's just these few things I can't understand about her," Xavier agreed.

* * * * *

Scott waited patiently in the car as Kitty and Iris both carried a small, light box in their cradled arms to the X-van. An angry Dill followed behind.

"Where do ya think ya goin' twerp!" he hollered. "I'm paid to take care of your worthless self ya know! Hey, come back here ya!" Iris ignored him as Kitty threw nervous glances at Dill. 

"Do ya hear me! I said come back or I'll tan your hide!" threatened Dill waving his favourite cane. He grabbed Iris by the arm. Iris skilfully twisted out of his unprepared grasp, snatched his cane and cracked it against her raised knee, all with one hand. She threw down the broken pieces and turned to a surprised Dill.

"Never again will you hurt you," Iris said coldly with a ice-blue eyes. She turned on her heel and strode to the X-van. Dill's mouth opened and shut loosely like a fish and Kitty hurried quickly after the other girl. Scott turned, with no astonishment on his face, to Iris as she entered the vehicle.

"That's all you got?" he asked. Iris nodded. He turned around and started the engine, going back to the Xavier Institute.

* * * * *

Ororo led Iris to through a dimly lit hallway. They stopped in front of a door.

"This shall be your room," Ororo said calmly. "I hope you'll find it comfortable here." She left Iris with her two small boxes. Iris opened the door and immediately locked it before surveying the room. It was obviously much more BIGGER than the room she had had at her former foster home.  In front of the expansive paned window that took up one whole wall, was a comfortable-looking queen-sized bed. There was a dresser next to the bed and a handsome desk with a computer on it. A large stereo filled one corner of the room. There was also a closet for clothes, not that Iris needed it for her pitiful amount of clothes would only fill up one drawer in the dresser. A few meters away from the bed were glass double doors leading to a balcony. Dropping her boxes on the bed, Iris stepped through the doors to check out her view. It was nice with lush hills and Bayville to be seen in the short distance. She closed the doors and walked to her bed. She unpacked a few garments, some textbooks from school and about 20 bucks she had saved over the years. All these she stored in her dresser. After all this, that was when Iris noticed a small, white cardboard box on her desk. She picked it up and opened it. Inside was her battlecostume. It was stretchy, a perfect navy blue with the X-men logo shoulder pads and belt. Tight elbow-high white gloves and fitting knee-high white boots accompanied the costume. After admiring it and wondering curiously of its purpose, she saw a piece of paper with writing at the bottom of the box. She read it out loud. 

"Codename: Dreamcaster." As if on the cue, a rapid knocking was heard behind the door. She hurried towards it and opened it, unlocking with a click. Kurt was leaning casually against the doorway, without his image inducer and wearing his battlecostume.

"Scott says it's time for training," he sang out and pointed at the costume she had in hand. "Don't forget to put on your battlecostume." He winked before teleporting with a BAMF and a smell of brimstone.  

"Oh yeah sure," Iris coughed before closing the door. She stood there for a second, not exactly understanding the message. She smacked her forehead. "Of course stupid! The professor had said he wanted to hone your powers." She quickly got changed.

* * * * *

After following Kitty and Evan to the Danger Room, she stared around her in wonder. 

"Now this place rocks," she said in awe.

"It won't be when the session begins," grumbled Evan.

"Can you hear me?" Xavier asked from a speaker inside the audience chamber above the Danger Room. Ororo stood behind him.

"We're ready Professor," Scott said speaking for all of the X-men teenagers stationed below.

"Good, before we began I would like each and everyone of you to introduce yourself and your powers to Dreamcaster." said Xavier. Everyone immediately turned to Iris who felt as if the third degree was going to start.

"Scott Summers, I can shoot lasers from my eyes." said Scott who acted as the leader.

"I'm Jean Grey. I can read people's thoughts and move objects with my mind." the red-head said cheerfully.

"Rogue, absorb people's powers when they touch my skin." muttered Rogue. Iris blinked and wondered how that hadn't worked on herself when Rogue had touched her in the auditorium.

"Kurt Wagner, can teleport and move acrobatically." he grinned and demonstrated with an expert back-flip.

"Hi, I'm Kitty Pryde, I go through walls." giggled Kitty.

"Evan Daniels, shoot wooden spikes through the skin." the dark-skinned boy said 

nonchalantly.   

"Good, now that that's done we can begin." announced Xavier. "The program I am now initialising will be a group of enemy hologram mutants. I want all of you to focus on using your powers to defeat them. Ready?"

"Ready." the group below chorused.

"Computer, initiate Training Program Mutant 124," commanded Xavier. A buzzing noise buzzed for a second before the X-men started using their abilities. Chaos erupted around Iris who stood confusedly. While all the other mutants seemed to be fighting something, Iris saw nothing to fight against. Scott dashed pass her.

"Hurry up and use your powers!" he yelled, clearly being chased by something.

"What….?" Iris said bewildered then something hit her in the stomach. Hard. 

"Ooof," she grunted. Lying on the ground looking up, she saw nothing. Something smashed into her again making her groan in pain. She found herself being lifted up by an invisible force then thrown against the Danger Room walls. She yelled out, "Someone, stop this program!" 

Ororo hurriedly said the command. "Computer, halt Training Program Mutant 124." All the X-men stopped, rushing over to Iris. She did not look in a good shape. Her nose was bleeding, a trickle of blood ran from the side of her mouth and a bruise was colouring her cheek. Her eyes were a clouded blue of pain.

"What happened?" she asked with difficulty as a tooth was coming loose in her mouth. Shadowcat piped up.

"There was this like nasty-looking mutant attacking you. He had big hammer-like fists that were totally smashing you apart. And he had tentacles sprouting from his sides that grabbed you and totally threw you hard agai…Mmmph!" Cyclops had covered her mouth with a gloved hand.

"Uuuh…Shadowcat I think Dreamcaster gets the point," he said before letting her go. The professor and Ororo appeared next to Iris.

"Iris, besides creating illusions on people what other abilities do you have?" questioned Charles nervously.

"I can cloak myself in an illusion, disable any illusion, see through illusions...." at the last part Iris sputtered to a halt. All the X-men except Kurt looked grave.

"Vhat?" he asked curiously, scratching his head. Rogue hit him on the arm none too lightly.

"Holograms are illusions you idiot, so Dreamcaster couldn't fight against them." she hissed.

"Oh." said Kurt as comprehension dawned on him.          

"Umm....I suggest that you go back to the infirmary to check your wounds." said Charles. "I believe Dr. McCoy there shall apply some medicine for you." 

"Ok." mumbled Iris and limped out. Ororo questioned to nobody in particular.

"Now how shall she train without hurting anyone?"

* * * * *

"OWWW!!!" screamed Iris in pain. Dr. McCoy aka Beast (was a former teacher at Bayville High) had just was now in the process of taking out her tooth. Or was at least trying to.

"If you just sit down and relax, this would take faster." he said in a calming tone.

"Ha do ya ecec mah to relac! (translation: How do you expect me to relax)" replied Iris with her mouth struggling to stay open and trying at the same time to automatically close. 

"Almost there...got it!" Dr. McCoy said triumphantly and held up a tooth in-between a pair of pincer-like instruments. Iris grabbed the closest container to her, in this case, a metal bowl. She spat blood and saliva into it leaving a disgustingly tangy taste in her mouth.

"Was that really necessary?" she asked with her head bent. Dr. McCoy dumped her ripped tooth into the garbage can before answering.

"Yes...unless you wanted it to just hang there on a millilitre of  muscle." Beast replied. Iris scowled then noticed the a few kids peeking in at the doorway. (They were Jubilation, Magma, Iceman and Wolfsbane.) 

"Get out of here!" Iris growled at them glaring. The young mutants escaped chuckling. Dr. McCoy approached Iris with a cotton swab and a bottle of liquid ointment. Evil humour danced in his blue eyes.

"Now, let's start disinfecting some of these cuts of yours...." he said pleasantly. 

Fresh howls of pain emitted from the infirmary and resounded throughout the entire floor.

* * * * *

The X-men including Iris went back to school on Monday. They went off their separate ways for classes. Iris was stuck with walking with Kitty and Kurt through the hallways as they had the same first class. Kitty chatted on and on about petty things occurring around the school. Iris quickly grew bored that plainly showed through her drab, brown eyes. She fingered the bruise on her cheek that was now a sallow yellow. Even though two days had passed, Iris's minor injuries still smarted. She surveyed the hallway for something of interest when she noticed the Brotherhood of Mutants (Tabitha not present) hanging around a group of lockers. She glanced hastily away as she didn't want them to see her. Iris wasn't sure what their reaction might be in seeing her again. Unfortunately, they saw her.

"Hey you!" Lance's voice boomed out. Iris resisted the instinct to dash away and set her face to a poker expression.

//They won't do anything stupid in front of all these students.// she chided herself. She forcefully turned towards them.

"Yah...what is it?" she replied in a smart-alecky tone. Lance walked in front of her and stood in her way, unfazed. 

"So, you joined these X-geeks I expect." he said, nodding in the direction of Kurt and Kitty who were stood in one spot. 

"Yup...you got a problem with that?" Iris questioned. Lance nodded, smirking.

"Sure I've got a problem. Just like I've always had one with the X-geeks."  

Kurt tried to interject. "Now vait a minute....."

Lance turned to Kurt and interrupted him "Be quiet blue-fur. This is in-between me and her." Kurt became silent. Lance turned back to Iris.

"You're a pretty powerful mutant. Doesn't make any sense to me why you hang out with these jerks. This is your final chance to come into the Brotherhood of Mutants."

Iris retorted without skipping a beat. "Not taken."

Lance's eyes widened subtly. He sneered at the Chinese girl before him. "How about this?" he sang out. He brought out her sketch pad. He dangled it like a prize before her stoic face. 

"This belongs to you I bet." he gloated. He came closer until a millilitre away from Iris. "Is it something precious thing to your heart?" 

"What's precious to my heart?" Iris asked, eyes a humorous turquoise. Lance looked at his hand which was now empty.

"What the...." he swore. He looked frantically around him. "I swear it was just here a few minutes ago."

"I think you need glasses." said Iris who bent down. She stood back up with her sketch pad cradled delicately between her fingers.

Lance's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How did you do that?"

Iris flipped through her sketch pad and replied without looking up, "Magic." Her eyes now a deep sky blue looked up at him. "It was child's play." Before Lance could say a word she sprinted down the hallway, slipping easily through the crowd of people. All the teenage mutants just stood there in the middle of the moving throng. Then the bell rung and as if in a daze they went to their first class. 

Pietro had watched all of this with the rest of the Brotherhood. Seeing Iris, he felt no emotion, no passion unlike the time when he saw her drawing. All he felt in seeing her was indifference, as if she was an average girl, with a bit of resentment because of the bleeding nose she gave her. Pietro wondered what on earth could he have been thinking when he saw that drawing, a drawing of him in the most ridiculous and embarrassing position possible. He resolved to rip up the paper once he got home. Yet he felt a bit of a stirring in him whenever he thought of Iris, something that was trying to resurface, but was buried too deep.

//Am I going crazy?// he wondered. 

Was it this chapter good? Personally, I don't think so but THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU READERS HAVE TO STOP READING MY FANFIC!!! Please continue going checking on it for updates and sending reviews. At the end...I think that I made Pietro too reflective as this doesn't seem to be his style. If you agree with me please tell me! Then I can work more on Pietro's personality. I forgot to say thanks to FukaiMori at the beginning. *turns to FukaiMori* So thanks FukaiMori for your review! Gave me more confidence to NOT change Iris the way she is. I'll properly thank you in the next chapter. *turns back to readers* My next chapter might take long to upload, maybe a few weeks. It's because of schoolwork so don't blame it on me! Blame it on the school system who had the great idea to make students bring work from school to work on at home. I'm wondering whether or not I should start on another fanfic since I haven't finished this one yet. Should I? Please send a reply! Ciao! Keep on checking on my fanfic! 


	6. Chapter 5: Locking

I'M EXTREMELY SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG TO POST THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! I'VE HAD A LOT OF END-OF-TERM TESTS TO DO SO DON'T THROW TOMATOES AT ME FOR THIS!!!! *gets promptly thrown at with rotten vegetables* ACK!!! Grrrr....I TOLD you not to do that!!! *a rotten egg gets chucked and lands on forehead* YEEECH!!!! *immediately rubs it off* Hmph! Well...I also apologize for the millions of grammar mistakes I've made in each chapter. The problem with me is that I'm too lazy to correct them. *smiles sheepishly* You'll also find that I take out and add in characters frequently in this story. Just like right now. Mystique is GONE from this story and might reappear later. So now a new principal reigns at Bayville High. I MIGHT add Wanda a.k.a. Scarlet Witch, Pietro's sister. Would anyone explain to me what her powers are? I'd appreciate the help. Oh and reviewer 'me'? Your question shall be explained in another chapter later on. And thanks for asking because you've now given me an idea for the chapter!!! Enjoy reading!!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
"talking" = talking in a normal voice //thinking// = character thinking ~telepathy~ = talking telepathically  
  
This chapter is dedicated to FukaiMori who I NOW properly thank for her review. She, besides Neva and destinydragon, are the few people who don't care whether or not Iris is a Mary-Sue. Bless you FukaiMori! And thank you very much!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 5: Locking  
  
Three days and two nights had passed since Iris had gone back to school on Monday. She had been accepted into the Xavier Institute yet still had not integrated into the X-men family. Iris was abnormally mute whenever around with the X-men. She only answered in a few words when questions were directed at her, but besides those rare moments, she was a silent creature. Others misinterpreted her quietness as shyness and did their best to rope her into some group "fun".  
  
Iris was working in her room, the door closed. Homework was spread out before her on her desk as she furiously finished the last equation for the math assignment. With a triumphant smile she leaned back feeling satisfied.  
  
"Done!" she exclaimed feeling quite content. With all her homework out of the way she would now had about four hours of free time until lights out. Checking her agenda for any extra work she might've forgotten. Iris groaned, seeing as she still had some science pages to read.  
  
"Okay then," she mumbled to herself as she looked through her knapsack. "Only a few pages to read. Only a few pages to read until you get to relax. Only a few....gulp..... hundred pages to read." She moaned. "It sure would be easier if I could just strangle that science teacher." Not finding the textbook anywhere Iris frowned and a disapproving cloud blue entered her eyes.  
  
"Oh! Damn! Forgot that I had left it at school!" Iris smacked her forehead. "How could I be so stupid?"  
  
Sighing, she got up to ask Scott to drive her to school as the science reading was due tomorrow. Looking through the tall, glass balcony doors, Iris noticed that it seemed like a perfect evening for a night walk. No clouds darkened the black sky, a quarter moon shone bright enough to cast shadows and stars twinkled, more clearer and greater in number at the Xavier mansion than in the city. A pale green of longing flashed through Iris's eyes.  
  
//Hmm....it's a perfect night....and it'll only be half an hour walk to the school. Why bother Scott when I can get my book by myself?// mused Iris. //Alright then, I'll go. I'll just leave a note saying where I've gone in case they look for me.// Scribbling the note on a piece of paper, Iris left the mansion the most safest way. Jumping off the balcony.  
  
Leaving the lights on in her room, Iris unlocked the balcony door and closed them, yet leaving them unlocked. Climbing onto the edge of the balcony wall Iris looked down at the ground below her.  
  
//Okay then. This is no sweat. It's just three stories down. You've jumped even more than that before.// assured Iris to herself. //Besides you don't wanna disturb the others right?//  
  
Iris knew she was lying to herself as the term for the crime she was committing was "sneaking out". Yet Iris felt suffocated inside the institute with the number of people it had in there. That seemed actually quite an exaggeration as there were plenty of rooms in the mansion, all of them extremely large, thus allowing Iris plenty of chance to hide herself for some solitude. Yet Iris could swear that Jean or Xavier were used their mind abilities to locate her then send one of the X-men to drag her off to some group activity. Iris knew that everyone was trying to be friendly to her and welcome her into the "family." But it just made want to scream with the pity evident on everyone's face for her unfortunate childhood. Smiles were forced around her and whenever roped into a conversation, the group talked politely about tedious things, as if afraid any harsh words said would break the "fragile" Iris.  
  
Still deep in her thoughts, Iris jumped from the balcony sill and landed on her feet. Arms spread out to the side for balance and knees automatically bent to absorb the shock. Iris never wondered about the athletic tricks she could do, she always considered them as something she had picked up from lots of practice. Unscathed, Iris stood up and silently walked towards the front gates. She took off running after leaving the Institute's grounds.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Pietro slammed his book shut and looked at his watch.  
  
//6:58, I'm gonna make it this time!// he gleefully gloated.  
  
Doing his homework only took twenty seconds as usual, but nowadays instead of finishing it right after school leaving him plenty of time to cause trouble, he finished after seven. The reason was some stupid bet he had made with Tabitha over something ever so long ago that he had forgotten what it was about. Pietro had betted that if he won, Tabitha would have to piggy-back him to and from school for a month. Tabitha on the other hand, said that if she won then Pietro would have to do her house chores for three months, without using his powers. Pietro had agreed, truly believing that he would win. Yet to his dismay, he had lost. Now everyday after school Tabitha ordered him to do all these hard jobs for three hours straight, threatening to blow bombs up in his face when least expected if he didn't keep his promise. Hastily Pietro complied yet looked at Tabitha murderously when she wasn't looking.  
  
//I'm gonna make it!!!// Pietro's mind sang as he zipped in a flash to the t.v. room. The sight that met him reversed his hyper mood.  
  
"Fred!!! You again!!!" screamed Pietro. "Don't you have anything better to do???"  
  
Fred was lying full-length on the sofa, his weight making it sag until a few inches from the floor. The floor and his stomach was littered with cracker crumbs, empty chip bags and other unidentified bits of food.  
  
"And you ate all of the food....for the millionth time!!!!" complained Pietro.  
  
"I was hungry" Fred said in a matter-of-fact tone and was flipping through the channels on T.V.  
  
"ACK!!!!!!! You're hopeless Blob..." moaned Pietro and sped around the room in circles in frustration.  
  
"Yo!" Todd greeted suddenly, leaping into the room. "Water's been cut down again by City Hall and I'm feeling so thirsty my SKIN'S becoming dry!!!"  
  
"Duh! You're a frog Todd and frogs need lots of water," said Lance entering.  
  
"I'm a toad, ain't any wimpy frog," snapped back Todd.  
  
Pietro sighed. No t.v. to watch, all of the food gone, no running water and the cash flow was greatly lower since Mystique was now gone. Pht! This sure was the life wasn't it?  
  
"One of us is gonna have to a job," Pietro commented. Everyone turned and stared at Fred.  
  
Fred looked back at them in alarm. "What?!"  
  
"Hey fattie. You're big and strong. Any thought about going into a freak show or some show-off strength contest or some labor job?" asked Todd, leaping onto the couch's backside.  
  
At the words 'fattie' and 'freak' Fred's face turned red.  
  
"Don't......call.....me.....FATTIE!!!!!" roared Fred as stood up suddenly and grabbed Todd by the throat to hang him in the air. Fred had that look of one intending to squish something disgusting.  
  
"And...I'm...not...a...FREAK FOR THE LAST TIME!!!!!!!" screamed Fred at Todd's face and shook the smaller guy by the neck. The house shook slightly by the impact Fred's voice had on it.  
  
"Hey, hey! Big guy," soothed Tabitha who had emerged from her room (Mystique's former room) to see what the trouble was. "Todd didn't mean anything right hon?"  
  
Todd's face looked a neon blue now and all he could manage was to bob his head slightly.  
  
"See there, he didn't mean anything. Now put Todd down Fred," commanded Tabitha. Fred didn't move a muscle. "Fred, put him down now," Tabitha said more firmly.  
  
Fred unceremoniously dumped the younger boy on the floor. When his toes touched the ground, Todd immediately leaped out of the room, wheezing for breath. Pietro shook his head.  
  
//Nothing to do here, might as well hit the streets.// Pietro thought. As Fred grumpily resettled onto the couch, Tabitha sashayed back to her room and Lance went to the phone, Pietro flew out of the front door into the night.  
  
* * * * *  
  
//I've made it!// Iris thought as she stumbled onto the school grounds. Running all the way to school was a very tiring job for Iris's body and she had developed a stomach cramp. Despite that she felt energized and...free.  
  
//Yah! School's still open.// thought Iris as she entered the school through a side door.  
  
She noticed that the lights were only turned on in one hallway. A janitor was listening to some music in his walkman while mopping the floor. He didn't seem to notice as Iris silently sneaked behind him then rush over to another hallway.  
  
//Phew! Made it.// thought Iris. Not knowing whether or not she was allowed back at the school during closing time, she didn't want to take the chance to find out.  
  
Quickly twirling her lock's combination, she opened her locker to find her science book. Taking it out, she quietly locked her locker. Peeking around the corner she found the janitor still mopping the floor. She tiptoed her way behind his back then rushed towards the exit. She grabbed the door and.......  
  
Bumped into Pietro.  
  
They fell back from the collision, rubbing their heads. Pietro was the first to notice the girl in front of her.  
  
"You!" he snarled. "I still owe you a broken arm for that bloody nose you gave me."  
  
"Oh yeah!" retorted Iris. "I'd like to see you try."  
  
Pietro opened his mouth to say a reply when they both heard the squeak of the janitor's shoes coming their way.  
  
"Quick! In here," said Pietro and grabbed Iris's hands to pull her into an empty classroom, not listening to her protests.  
  
Closing the door he peered through the keyhole. He saw the janitor's hand opening the side door to look outside. The janitor peered curiously around and said, "Anybody there?"  
  
With no answer the janitor closed the door then looked suspiciously at the classroom's closed door, the room where Pietro and Iris were. His hand reached towards the doorknob.  
  
Pietro stumbled. "We've gotta hide!" he whispered frantically. He searched around the classroom for a good hiding place. Without much ado Iris grabbed him by the waist and hugged him to herself. Mist swirled around them and evaporated. The doorknob turned and the door was opened.  
  
The janitor looked at the classroom and flicked on the lights. Only desks met his view with nothing else there. He stared hard and long at the classroom.  
  
//Oh...God. Please make him go away.// prayed Iris silently as she focused her powers. Uncomfortably she noticed how her head was resting on Pietro's shoulder and how his hands wrapped tightly around her waist.  
  
//Damn it! Just go old man.// Pietro thought angrily as the janitor kept on standing there and staring through them. //And how come he can't see us?// Pietro wondered. Iris's arms, hugging Pietro's body shifted nervously around his back.  
  
After an agonizing three minutes the janitor put on his earphones, which he had just taken off, turned off the lights and closed the door. His runners tapped against the floor as he went away.  
  
The two teenagers breathed with relief and hastily let go of each other and stepped away. Iris's eyes, closed in concentration now opened to show relieved dark tan.  
  
"What just happened back there?" demanded Pietro.  
  
"I cloaked ourselves with an illusion of invisibility," replied Iris as she stooped down to look through the keyhole. "He's gone, let's go."  
  
They both gingerly stepped out of the classroom and reached for the side door. Pietro pushed against it, to find it locked.  
  
"He's locked it!" said Pietro with dismay. They both whirled around to hear the janitor's whistling, saw the lights turned off, plunging the school in darkness then a door slamming and locked with a click.  
  
They sprinted around the corner to another exit door and looked out of its windows. They saw the janitor's retreating back, walking to his car and watched as he entered it and drove away. Iris tried to open the door without any result. She turned towards Pietro, shocked.  
  
"We're locked in the school!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Rogue yawned. She and the other X-men sat grouped around the T.V., watching a love story. So far it was boring, stuffed with sickly romance and pathetic crying scenes. Surprisingly all of the other teenage mutants were riveted by it. Even the adults goggled at the screen, except Logan that was. He just sat on the couch and scowled at the screen, while cleaning some motorcycle parts. Thankfully, the movie ended.  
  
//Thank God. Ah didn't think that movie would ever end.// thought Rogue grumpily. Kurt picked up a rented video from the ground.  
  
Kurt winked. "Shall ve start on another movie?"  
  
McCoy began, "It's nearly bedtime and you have schoo....." All of the kids groaned.  
  
Xavier intercepted. "Well, it wouldn't do any harm for them to stay up late once would it?" The kids cheered. Kurt pushed the video tape into the VCR slot and clicked play. Everyone settled down to watch. Ororo bent over to Scott, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor.  
  
"Scott could you get Iris please?" asked the African women.  
  
"Uh....sure," said Scott and he rushed upstairs to do so.  
  
//Oh man. I hope I don't miss much of the movie.// Scott thought impatiently. He knocked on the door and upon receiving no reply he twisted the doorknob. To his surprise it was unlocked as Iris's room was usually locked. Pushing the door Scott found the room empty.  
  
//Huh, thought she was in her room.// thought Scott. Looking at her desk which was cluttered with homework, he saw a piece of paper that said in big, bold letters:  
  
WENT TO SCHOOL TO GET SCHOOL TO GET TEXTBOOK. BE BACK AROUND 8:34  
  
Scott looked at his watch. It said 9:00 p.m. He turned towards the door, planning on getting the adults.  
  
//Stupid kid! She knows she's not supposed to be sneaking out!// Scott thought angrily. //And no one's allowed to be in the school after closing time. The place is locked.// Scott stopped for a second.  
  
//She's new here.// the softer side of him spoke. //Just drive to the school and pick her up. No muss, no fuss. Iris won't do it again.//  
  
//No! She's had enough time to fit in. Iris needs to take responsibility for her actions.// his harsher side proclaimed.  
  
The softer side won. Scott went up to the older mutants and said he needed to pass by the store for some, "errrr......stuff." Everyone looked at him queerly, but he was given permission. Scott jumped into his car and sped into the night.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Are you sure you've checked all of the windows and doors?" asked Iris to Pietro. Both of them walked side by side down the first floor's hallway, looking for an unlocked exit.  
  
"Yes! I've checked all of them," said Pietro, annoyed. "That's the hundredth time you've asked me now."  
  
"Just making sure. With your speedy powers you could've sped through all of the floors without checking a single one of them properly," replied Iris. She headed for the stairways.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" asked the exasperated Pietro.  
  
"Upstairs. Besides, why should you care?" asked Iris suspiciously, eyes bursting into a deep, untrustworthy maroon. "One second you're threatening to break my arm then now you're like a worrisome nanny."  
  
Pietro's eyes gleamed. "Thanks for reminding me." With lightning speed he reached forward, intending to push Iris against the wall. Iris was caught off guard and got slammed into the wall, making a human imprint into it. Dust from the collision rose up, engulfing Iris and Pietro.  
  
Coughing Iris choked out, "Damn! Me and my big mouth. Any way I can save myself from being injured?"  
  
Before Pietro could open his mouth, Iris pushed him against the opposite wall and kicked him in the stomach. He stumbled backwards, groaning and clutching his stomach. Iris ran up the stairs.  
  
Gulping for breath Pietro zoomed after her. He halted at the top of the stairs to find the hallway empty. He padded softly through the moon-lit corridor.  
  
"Come out, come out wherever you are," he taunted. He heard a soft clatter behind him, and zipped off in that direction. Veering around a corner Pietro caught Iris's left arm before she escaped. He grabbed her other arm and painfully twisted both of them behind her back. Then he dug his raised knee in-between her shoulder blades. She winced in pain and slowly bent to her knees from the pressure on her back.  
  
"You can hide, but you can't run," whispered Pietro, bending his mouth close to her ear.  
  
"True......I can't run......but I can fight," gasped Iris.  
  
She snapped her head back hitting Pietro's who loosened his grip on Iris. She stooped forward, grabbed Pietro's wrists and flung him over her back with a grunt. Without bothering to look at him, she sprinted down the hallway and down the stairs to the main floor.  
  
Pietro groaned and slid head-first, off the wall he had crashed into. He lied there, bruised and battered and groaned, "What happen to girls who just stayed at home and learned how to housekeep?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Iris's heart pounded as she crouched in the shadows underneath the stairwells. Her science textbook now forgotten, she assessed her situation.  
  
//What do you do when you're locked in the school with a boy who wants to kill you?// Iris questioned. //You can one, bash the boy up, two, hide until the school opens and pray nothing happens until then or three, find an exit and run like hell!!!//  
  
Iris considered her options. //Number three! Best option of them all. Don't need for any injuries and I get to get out of here!// Out of habit, she looked at her wrist for the time then remembered she didn't have a watch.  
  
//Memo to self, ask professor for one when return to mansion.// she noted.  
  
"I'm baaaaaaack...." Pietro's voice echoed through the corridor.  
  
Iris's body tensed immediately. She pressed against the wall, in hopes that she wouldn't be detected. While shifting her foot it touched an empty potato chip bag, creating a crackling sound that seemed to boom in the silent hallway. She stopped in her tracks, waiting to see for Pietro's reaction.  
  
She didn't have to wait for long. A whirlwind burst around her and pushed her out of her hiding spot. She was thrown into the air a few feet, spinning like a top to land unceremoniously on her rump. Hair was disarrayed with eyes a swirling mass of confused aqua, dark blue and pine green. Pietro stood next to her, fists on hips and smirking.  
  
"Love the new hairdo, did you just have it fixed?" he asked sassily. Iris lashed a leg out at Pietro's knees, but he was ready.  
  
Grabbing it he pulled Iris up at waist level and spun her body around before flinging it a distance. She managed to recover quickly and did a handspring landing neatly on her feet, crouching. She did a cartwheel, moving away from Pietro and as he got ready to run at unnatural speed she covered him in fog. As it settled on him his muscles felt tired beyond belief and stiff. He tried to move a step and midway he stumbled and fell on his face. Raising his head he saw Iris peering down at him and grinning like a Cheshire cat, with mocking peachy orange eyes.  
  
"You like the feeling of slowness?" she asked.  
  
"I know this is an illusion," he said through gritted teeth. "And I'm gonna defeat it." He attempted to raise himself on his hands then slipped and fell again. He tiredly closed his eyes.  
  
"For someone with revenge on mind you go waaay over the top," Iris commented as she leaned against the wall casually. "You say you're gonna give me a broken arm, but instead you smash me against the wall, give me sore back muscles and throw me into the air. You don't think you should do that to a proper lady now do you?"  
  
Suddenly Pietro stood up, straight and tall. His laughing eyes gazed into Iris's surprised indigo ones.  
  
"Hah! Thought you could defeat me by playing with my mind?" he jeered. "Make me think that I was tired and slow? Think again girl 'cause nothing is faster than Pietro Maximoff."  
  
"Good speech," Iris said and took a step back slowly. "Can you defeat yourself then?"  
  
In a blink of an eye where Iris stood was now another Pietro Maximoff. The real one blinked and grinned.  
  
"In case you're wondering, I can catch on quickly. You've just simply cloaked yourself with another illusion of me."  
  
"And another illusion of your speed," the fake Pietro replied doing five rotations in one second around the real one. "Can you beat yourself Piet?"  
  
"I've always liked a good challenge," was the answer then Iris (cloaked as Pietro) was pushed harshly into the lockers before she could defend herself. Real Pietro grinned some more, standing several feet away from her.  
  
"Come on now! I've hardly even touched you," he said. "Let's see what you've got."  
  
Iris's image wavered slightly, flickering in-between her true form to her illusion. Unbeknownst to Pietro, she was sweating profusely, concentrating hard at controlling two images. She flashed a toothy smile at him not letting him the chance to see her weakness.  
  
"I'm ready," she said then rushed forward to lift sweep Pietro off his feet with neat swinging kick.  
  
The two Pietros' fight became like a game of tag, both running as fast as lightning and trying to weaken each other. Soon Iris was losing the upper hand, doggedly defending against Pietro's hits and maintaining the illusion of her fast speed AND keeping herself cloaked with an image of Pietro.  
  
//You've bitten off more than you can chew.// she thought grimly.  
  
For a second her concentration wavered and that was all Pietro needed. He swung her into a door and unsuspectingly she held onto his arms, so that they both ended up smashing through the glass windows of the door. By chance the door was leading outdoors so that they tumbled onto the concrete. They rolled together, pieces of falling glass surrounding them. When they halted they were in a bizarre position.  
  
Iris was lying underneath Pietro, her cloaked illusion now gone and beads of sweat adorning her reddened face from exertion. Pietro straddled her hips with his legs and grasped her shoulders tightly, also binding arms to the ground. Both breathed heavily and radiated heat from the battle they just had. Suddenly in a fit of lust Pietro crushed Iris's lips with his. He pressed hard, taking her breath away. At first Iris resisted, but finally submitted with her body being pinned and even leaned forward, eyes closed, hungering more. For them the world had stopped and they knew only of the desire for each other. They pulled apart a bit, panting then resumed for another equally passionate kiss. A bright shine of lights and a shout shattered their romantic scene.  
  
"Iris?!" Scott said in disbelief and stepped out of his car. His mouth gaped open at the act he had caught the two teenagers in. Iris shaded her mortified plum eyes from the glaring brightness.  
  
Scott turned quickly from surprise to anger. "Iris get into the car!" he shouted and furiously turned towards Pietro. "And stay away from her Maximoff! The next time I see you with her you're going down!!!"  
  
Meekly Iris pulled out from underneath Pietro and climbed into the car. Scott, rage boiling in him, stepped in and slammed the door. With a squeal of tires he sped away for a silent journey with a sullen Iris back to the Institute. Pietro was left at the school too shocked to say anything.  
  
  
  
  
  
Well? What do you think? PLEASE SEND REVIEWS!!! I only got about three for the last chapter and for my other fanfic I got FIVE even though it's EVER so horrible!!! So more reviews please!!! And don't forget to tell me what Wanda Maximoff's powers are if you know! And TRUTHFULLY tell me what I should improve on in my writing...that's all. Over and out!! 


	7. Chapter 6: Unlocking Doors

YES! YES! YES! I KNOW!!! I bet all you readers are thinking "What's wrong with Auroris? What the hell is taking her so long to post?!" I have two words to answer that question....MUSIC THEORY!!! For those of you who take piano, violin, etc. you have to take some courses on how to write simple music and then take these big huge EXAMS!!!! AGHHH!!!! AND THE BIG EXAM IS COMING SO CLOSE I'M FREAKING OUT HERE!!!!!! Thank goodness Christmas vacation is coming soon from where I am or else I'd be over the limit of stress right now. *sigh* And it seems that I have only two people left who even bother sending me reviews. *sniff* Even Neva has abandoned me. I guess it's 'cause for Neva I haven't sent her any reviews. WAAAHH!!! I feel so unloved......I'll just have the computer say the disclaimer then. *weeps heavily*  
  
Computer: Auroris doesn't own X-men: Evolution, Warner Bros. and Marvel Comics does so. Auroris only own Iris, the mysterious girl and a villain coming up. Auroris also owns $1000.00 so if you wish to rob her.....*Auroris smashes computer*  
  
Heh...heh...don't trust this machine now people! It's just a really old thing and keeps on mumbling mumbo jumbo. And reviewer me? I AM accepting your criticism, but whenever concerning Iris and Pietro, my fingers are stuck in my ears!!!! PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!!  
  
  
  
"talking" = talking in a normal voice //thinking// = character thinking  
  
~telepathy~ = talking telepathically  
  
  
  
This chapter is dedicated to reviewer me and Raliena. *hugs them* Thanks guys!! You're the only people who bother sending me reviews and boost my ego. Thank you very, very, very, very, VERY much for telling me about Wanda Maximoff......*weeps* Now look at me! You've made me all emotional.....*sniff*  
  
  
  
Chapter 6: Unlocking Doors  
  
When Iris and Scott returned home, she expected Scott to march her up to the adults and tattletale on her. Instead, he just gave a curt "Go to your room," and walked off stiff-legged back to the living room where everyone else was. She obediently did as she was told, grateful for a scandal to not be aroused. Her cheeks burned, eyes an embarrassed purplish-pink, when she thought about that intimate moment she shared with Pietro before being intruded upon.  
  
//What was I thinking?!// she wondered in horror. //Kissing a boy from the Brotherhood, especially one who hates you at that!// She resolved to run in the opposite direction if she saw Pietro again.  
  
That night, Iris had the same dream she had before about those ghostly figures had returned, with a more demanding and aggressive atmosphere. (Read the beginning of Chapter 4: Introductory if you don't understand which dream.) They made Iris wake up gasping in the middle of the night and only catching sleep in the wee hours of early morning. Even thought she was unexplainably frightened of them, she didn't want to comply to their commands of finding out about her past. The time before she had been accepted into the orphanage, Iris had no recollection of. And she was afraid. Afraid to know. To know how she got into the orphanage. To discover that her parents had died in an accident, had been murdered or worse.....had abandoned her. Thus, Iris didn't want the Professor's help into resurfacing her buried memories.  
  
The X-men family including the new recruits (Magma, Bezerker, Cannonball, Multiple, etc.) were now sitting in the dining hall eating dinner. Everyone talked with each other and their attitude's shouted friendliness. Iris kept her head low ignoring the chatter surrounding her. She made a small hollow in her spaghetti and watched as tomato sauce dribbled into it. A meatball finally rolled on top of the hole and Iris swirled the noodles around her fork, speared the meatball and stuffed it all into her mouth. Her eyes were a light reddish-pink, matching the rest of the parts of her eyes from lack of sleep. Looking up she observed the X-men group, eyes lazily watching beneath hooded eyelids. A white flash darted from the corner of her eyes and she turned instinctively to it. She saw Kurt, stuffing himself with food, as usual, and her eyes widened in shock.  
  
Worms wriggled on his plate and live beetles crawled through slimy grubs. Worms, dripping with mud were sucked in slow motion by Kurt with a smack. Iris saw a small cockroach crawling across his lips before being licked into Kurt's mouth and bit into with a distinctive crunch. Her eyes tore away from the revolting sight and looked down at her own plate. The same sight met her eyes, of fat little maggots squirming and pale lice scurrying around. Iris panicked and glanced hastily at everyone else's plates. Nasty insects and parasites wiggled and scrambled around, some escaping onto the table. Everyone seemed oblivious to this fact, still munching away at the wiggling crawlers. Iris stifled back some bile that was threatening to come up. Her alarm must have been obvious for Evan tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked, worry shining from his dark eyes.  
  
"I'm fine." Iris nodded mechanically. She stood up, stumbling a little. "I just need to uhh....go to the bathroom." she stuttered before sprinting out of the dining hall at top speed. She banged through the door, gripping hands around her mouth. Evan turned to Ororo.  
  
"Auntie O, I told you that the meatballs tasted funny." he complained.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Iris wiped her mouth on some toilet paper. Stumbling out of the bathroom she flopped onto the bed. She had just vomited, bringing up her dinner, lunch and breakfast. She felt as if she NEVER wanted to eat again....never ever.  
  
"Scared you huh?" a nerdy voice giggled.  
  
"Wha...!" Iris jumped up in surprise. Sitting cross-legged on her desktop was the same ghostly female from her dreams. (Read Chapter 4: Introductory at the beginning if you don't understand. I'm saying this too much aren't I?) The female's appearance had changed drastically though for her hair was much shorter than it had appeared to be and frizzy. The pale girl work big, round glasses that magnified her eyes ten times. Pure white freckles dotted the face, stark against the smoky gray....um...skin. She leaned her head in her hands, elbows supported on her knees.  
  
"Scared you huh?" the pale form repeated bossily. She floated up and glided towards Iris, still cross-legged, as Iris watched her warily with bright orange eyes flecked with gold.  
  
"Don't worry I can't hurt you." the girl rolled her eyes as if dissing Iris's stupidity. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't even touch you. My hand would just go right through your head."  
  
"Yah ghost girl...just like you do every time when we meet each other by making me freeze to death!!"  
  
The girl snickered. "Caught on fast didn'tcha? That I'm a phantom from the dead?" She then brought her arm into Iris's face. Iris stumbled back a few steps from the icy shock.  
  
"Will you stop doing that ghostie?!" spluttered Iris. The girl's eyes danced merrily and she chuckled in that nerdy voice of hers.  
  
"It's fun. I always the same reaction from you." the girl said. Iris stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"What? Can't get any fun here?" the girl protested. She leaned backwards slightly with hands behind her head. "Did you enjoy your dinner?"  
  
Iris looked at her dumbly and spat out. "You! It was you causing that! How dare you...." With that Iris lunged forward only to go through the transparent girl and ended up on the floor shivering. The girl peered down at her, hovering above.  
  
"Hey like I said before," the annoying female's voice swiftly changed to an ominous tone. "Ask Charles Xavier to dig into your mind and discover your past. If you don't, then you'll have to bear the conscience of letting us down."  
  
Iris stood up, fists and jaw clenched, eyes becoming a hot red. Then she relaxed with eyes cooling down back to an almost-black, sly violet.  
  
"That's all then ghost girl?" she asked. "Have someone poke into my mind for a couple of minutes then I'm free from your annoying self?"  
  
"uhh...Yup. That's the idea," was the reply.  
  
"Righto then...I'll do it tomorrow morning." With that Iris flopped onto the bed.  
  
"Oh no you don't," the ghost girl retorted and dived into Iris's body heat. Iris yelped and rolled off the bed out of harm's way.  
  
"Fine, fine." Iris muttered. "I'll go. I'll go. Chill ghost girl. No pun intended." With an encouraging frozen poke from the transparent girl, Iris went off in search of Professor Xavier.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Iris knocked on the door of Professor Xavier's study, alone without the irritating ghost. Iris prayed that the Professor wasn't in to avoid the task at hand. Luck played against her.  
  
"Come in," the always-calm voice of Xavier invited. Iris slowly opened the door.  
  
Xavier sat in his wheelchair in front of a blazing fireplace. He wheeled around and smiled gently at Iris.  
  
"What brings you here tonight?" he asked.  
  
Iris stood there, eyes an uncertain grayish-blue then blurted out, "I....wantyatoreadmymind."  
  
"Excuse me." Charles raised an eyebrow. Iris cleared her throat and said more slowly, "I want you to read my mind for memories from my past."  
  
Xavier pondered this for a moment. "Why the sudden interest?" Iris shuffled from foot to foot. "I...I...just...I just had a sudden inspiration." Which was the closest thing to the truth as the cries of the misty beings still haunted her mind. Xavier sighed and slightly probed her mind for information. He was surprised to find that a mental barrier was situated around that particular knowledge and so entered no deeper.  
  
He questioned, "Have you decided on how the erm..accident shall not happen again?" (Read Chapter 3: Interesting Way to know about what accident.) Iris simply gaped at him, for she had given no thought to that matter. Xavier sighed.  
  
"If you could just keep your amplifying powers in check, I might be able to do as you've asked," he proposed. Iris agreed immediately, she was ever so eager to get this thing over with.  
  
"Please sit down and relax," Xavier said gesturing towards the couch. Iris stiffly perched on the edge of the furniture.  
  
"Now, concentrate on the earliest childhood memory you have," he asked, placing fingers at her temples. Iris did so, remembering the time she had been greeted by a matron's unearthly scream when found alone on the orphanage's steps. Suddenly, Iris and Charles were thrown into an abyss of her surfacing memories.  
  
  
  
Flashback  
  
"Please, no, stay away from me and my daughter!" a woman's voice screamed. A hooded woman with, worried brown eyes, was carrying a bundle in her arms and running down a dark street, with only a single streetlight shining. A hunched figure covered in brown shuffled quickly after her, chuckling merrily and clutching a large butcher knife. The woman kept on running, then slipped. The figure got closer, causing the woman to leap up and run faster, swerving around a corner. She kept on running when the covered figure stepped out in front of her, grinning, revealing the yellow, unkempt teeth in its mouth. The woman shrieked, then whirled around and ran, holding the bundle more tightly now. She reached a building with the words "St. Mary's Orphanage for Homeless Children" adorned above the cracked front door. The woman gently placed the bundle underneath the steps of the front door when the bundle started stirring.  
  
"Mommy, mommy?" a high-pitched child's voice came from the bundle. The top of it rustled then came off as a dark-haired girl popped her head out. "Mommy who's that man that's chasing us?"  
  
"Shh...shh.." hushed the mother, stroking her daughter's hair. "Everything's going to be fine. I have to go somewhere for a while. Just sit tight, and stay hidden!" The woman added emphasis on the last two words. She kissed the girl on the forehead and a small flare flashed for a second from the touched spot.  
  
"Thy bestow thee powers on thou. So mote it be." murmured the woman. Her head snapped up then fearfully looked behind her. She turned back to her daughter, gave her one last hug before gently pushing her back underneath the stairs. The woman stood up and began running again, alone, yet with the desperation of one who knows the end has come. Out of nowhere, the hunched brown-robed figured lunged at the woman, cutting her in back and splitting her spine in half with an audible crack. The woman screamed, howling like an animal over the mad figure's cackle. A pair of violet eyes stared wide- eyed at the blood spurting from her mother's mutilated body, watched as the brown figure bent forward over the carcass and sucked, saw her own parent's blood dripping from the mouth of a crazed man.....  
  
Back to the present  
  
  
  
Xavier let go of Iris's head with a start. They were both breathing fast, eyes horrified at the carnage they had just witnessed. Xavier bent forward and supported his aching head with his hands. Iris leaned back on the couch, allowing the furniture to hold her weight. They both stayed in those positions for half an hour until Iris moved.  
  
"Umm...so I'll guess I'll just leave," mumbled Iris. The professor didn't move. She stumbled out of the door, remembering to close it. She leaned against the wall for a second, comforted by the coolness it provided. She was visibly shaken by the memory just brought forth. Iris hadn't known that she had the memory of her mother being murdered, she hadn't even known her mother had been murdered! Shaking her head to get rid of the growing headache, she staggered ungainly through the hallways and managed to find her way into her room.  
  
  
  
There's my chapter number six!!! Yes, I know it's very short. It's because of that damn theory exam I tell you!!! Now remember (Raliena and me you're not part of this).....*takes a deep breath* REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! JUST REVIEW WILL YOU PEOPLE!!!! EVEN FLAMES ARE ACCEPTED!!!! ALL I NEED IS SOME PROOF TO TELL ME THAT MY WORK IS BEING READ AND THOUGHT ON!!!! And if you are sending one, can you please give some suggestions on types of colors I should use for Iris's eyes? I'll be eternally gratefully if you do so!!! REVIEW PLEASE!!!!! 


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